Maid in Waiting
by Iris Night
Summary: AU, RR In need for financially, Raven Roth calls for 'desperate time, desperate measure'. She applies a job as a maid with the help of her godfather. But, having a job as a maid would Raven not only gain more money but, maybe, also a thing call love?


**Maid-in-Waiting**

**Disclaimer**: It's **not** mine.

Summary: She thought she had her life all planned out. Raven Roth, a graduate from Gotham University, wanted to continue studying to become a lawyer and attend the Gotham High Town Law School. Until one day, when all came bearing down. With the sickness of her mother, her financials did not meet up with ends meet. Having to gain more money, she calls for 'desperate time, desperate measure'. She applied a job as a maid with the help of her godfather…at the Wayne's Residential. But, having a job as a maid would Raven not only gain more money to support her mother but, maybe, also a thing call love? (AU).

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* * *

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**Prologue**

"How is she doing?"

"She's sleeping right now, Miss. Now, I don't want to frighten you but your mother's condition is at worse. Her leukemia is getting the best of her right now."

"Wait…leukemia? Since when were we talking about leukemia, I thought she was just tired and stressed."

"You mean…you didn't know," with that the doctor paused, "well, this is going to be hard to explain. See, Miss, I have been her doctor and helping her to go through her leukemia for about 5-6 months. She's in the middle of her treatment actually. The last time I checked her, which was a month ago, her condition have not gotten worse. I gave her a prescription for the medicine the first time she did her check-up and I know the medicine was not so… inexpensive but she told me that she could handle the price."

"And, just how long does this medicine last before she has to get another prescription from you?"

"The medicine lasts about 2 months since she has to take it 3 times a day," the doctor pause but then asked," Is there a chance that she didn't refill them after her last check-up or have not taken the medicine regularly?"

"I don't know! I didn't even know she has this…this…leukemia!" she snapped._ Mom, how could you not tell me…I know we're not in the best situation financially but what were you thinking of going this treatment by yourself. I should've known._ And, with that thought passed by her mind, she sighed and pushing back her pride a little bit, she made an apology for snapping at the doctor.

"Sorry, didn't mean to snap at you. It's just…it's just…" And, for the first time she was lost of words

"Confusing, stressing…I understand, Miss. I didn't know that she hasn't told you and I'm sorry I have to be the bearer of bad news."

And, with that the young woman nodded her head and asked the doctor, "Doctor Wells, may I see my mother?"

"Certainly Miss Roth, just don't make too much noise, she needs much rest. I assume since she didn't tell you about her condition, she was still doing her work non-stop."

"Yeah...and thanks." With that, the young woman went to the door with the number 318 and went in.

* * *

What she saw almost made her cry. There was her mother, lying on the bed with the white sheet and the white hospital gown she wore. Her face was pale and the room didn't help with all the whiteness. There, lying on the bed was Arella Roth, mother of Raven Roth.

With a sigh, Raven made forward to her mother's bed. She pulled the nearest chair and put it next to her mother's bed. She sat down and grasps her mother's hand, clutching as if her whole depend on it. And, in a way, her whole life did depend on it. Without her mother, Raven would be empty and lonely. Her mother was the only person she has and the only family member she knew. Being born as an only child, her mother was her best friend. Her father, Trigon Roth, is gone. He was a famous lawyer and was known nationwide, however, with a single tragic accident; all came down financially, emotionally, and socially. Trigon was the main support for his family and besides that; he was a loving father and husband. Arella, while she was also a supporter to the family income, was only a kindergarten teacher.

* * *

Raven recollecting the past, remembered one particular day. In a summer day of June, Trigon Roth was shot 4 times; 2 in the back and 2 in the head at his own home. No one was at home at the time. Raven and Arella was both preparing for Trigon's birthday family dinner party. When they came, what they saw was the most horrid image they have ever seen. There lying in the cold tile floor was Trigon pooled on his own blood. Scream, sobs, wails, yells was what the neighbors heard. That day marked Trigon Roth's birthday and death day.

The Roth family was never the same after that. Raven, after loosing her father, was more introvert than she already was; spoke when only being spoken to, eat only when needed; felt emotions only for her mother, and trust only a few people. Arella, however, was being strong both for her daughter and herself. Yes, she cries in her room but also in front of Raven but only because she needed to for the sake of her daughter. She has seen the changes of her own daughter; suppressing her emotions.

However, the changes of the Roth family were not finish. When the police had arrived at the Roth's residence place at the tragic day, they have filed the 'accident' as a murder case. Arella, wanting to find the murderer of her husband, spend money after money to solve the mystery. Finally, at the morning of Christmas, Arella had received a phone call about the case. It seems the last detective Arella had hired was successful on getting through the case. Not wanting to waste time, 3 days after Christmas, she went to the police station with Raven and met face to face with her husband's murderer, Slade Wilson. Slade, a trusted friend of Trigon, a friend to the Roth family, but also a traitor, and a murderer of Trigon. Arella, then hired a lawyer to defend for her husband's justice, meaning spending more money. Case after case, Arella finally won the case sending Slade to be in prison for life. But winning the case also has led her and her daughter into one another obstacle…financial problem.

Not realizing the money she has used for hiring detective after detective and a lawyer, Arella was having trouble to pay for Raven's tuition money for her private school, to pay for bills: electric bills, phone, credit card, etc. Raven saw all through the facades her mother was putting on. Arella has said to Raven not too worry but yet Raven has seen her mother late at night trying to keep up with the bills. Then, one night when Raven saw her mother in the kitchen with all sorts of paper pilling up in front of her confronted her and finalized a solution.

"Mother, I know we have financial problems and so I might have the solution," Raven whispered to her mother.

Arella attentively listens what her daughter has to say. "Well, as you know, before father **left, **he made an investment for me for my college tuition, maybe we can use it to pay for our debts, at least half of it would be all paid up," Raven explained to her mother.

"No, sweetheart, we ca-"

"Mother," Raven interrupted, "we have to, and we **need** to. I could always get a job when I get older to pay for it and besides I'm not even in college yet. Please, mother. Then, after we pay half the bills, we can move from here and I can go to a public school. We'll sell this house and the payment we receive could get us a smaller apartment, just for the both of us. I know you want the best for me but this is the best for the both of us. I can manage and **will** manage."

With a sigh, Arella agreed, knowing that her daughter won't let go the situation until she agrees. And, so they make their plans into action. They took Trigon's investment for Raven's tuition money and paid all the debts they have, well, most of the debts. Then, they sold the house while Raven transfer from Gotham Serenity Private School to Gotham High. They found a cheap apartment that was fine for them; however, Arella was still the kindergarten teacher. Raven, at the age of 15, started working at a café and diner place called 'MoonBeam'. For 6 years, she has been working there as a waitress but as she became legal, she took bartending courses and work as a bartender when they did not need her to waitress or when they need her to bartender. By being both a waitress and a bartender, she got more money which would then help her mother to pay for all the bills, including her tuition money for college. When college started, Raven also worked at her college library for a minimum wage during the day. It might not be much but it helps.

* * *

And, so here she was now, sitting beside her mother, pondering at their hardship of life, trying to get through all obstacles they've encountered. But now, they were at trouble again. Arella is sick and Raven knows that the doctor could treat her leukemia but it was going to cost money…a lot of money. Raven doesn't mind working; she was used to that, that's why she would do anything to make her mother better. Her mother was her precious.

She would've continued to ponder but she heard a groan beside her. Her mother was waking up.

Raven clutched Arella's hand tighter to let her know that her daughter was here by her side, to encourage and not to give up into unconsciousness. With eyelids slowly opening, Arella looked at her right hand that was clutching Raven's own right hand.

"Rae…Raven," whispered Arella with hoarse voice.

"Yes, mother…I'm here and I'm right beside you. Just rest." replied Raven.

"I've did enough rest. What I want to do is talk to you."

"There's nothing to talk about. I know about everything but don't worry I will find a way for you to get better."

"I'm sorry I hid it away from you but I could not put another burden on your shoulder. You've done enough…doing all the hard work for the both of us an-"

Raven interrupted her, "My hard-work doesn't compare to all the things you've done for me from a child and now to an adult, mother, I can take care of myself. Now let me take care of you. In a little while, the nurse will come to bring food, it's almost time for dinner."

And, before Arella can say another word, there was a knock on the door and Raven word out a 'come in'. A nurse came in with tray full of food and also a cup, which contain a medicine.

Raven helped her mother to sit up and told her to eat all the food so she could have much strength.

"What about you, Raven?" questioned her mother. Raven knowing what her mother was asking about answered in a monotone voice and in a simple sentence, "Not hungry."

Arella was used to her daughter's simple choice of wording even though she was intelligent, and also her monotone voice. She knew her daughter kept her emotions in check every time, even in front of her own mother. But, Arella knew behind her daughter's façade, like they say 'mothers know best'. Raven had changed after the death of her father and the struggles both mother and daughter had to endure. The person they most trusted, Slade, had betrayed them, killing his own best friend, for what…for money. Raven was no exception in trusting Slade. She trusted him like he was her own second father. But after the incident, she began to lost trust in others, with the exception of her mother and godfather. As years go by, she had 3 more people to trust and even that took year(s) for her to start trusting them.

* * *

After she ate her meal, Arella laid down more comfortably on her bed with the help of Raven. Both daughter and mother did not yet said a word but they were comfortable in the silence, knowing that they were in each other's side.

With a few more minutes of silence, Arella's eyes began to droop. Feeling tired, she touched her daughter's hand and said in a low tone voice, "Sweetheart, why don't you go back home and get some rest. Don't worry about me…I'm about to sleep anyway."

"I will mother, after you are sleeping comfortably, then I will go and come back here in the morning," explained Raven.

"Just don't go home too late." With that Raven nodded her head and Arella fell asleep. Raven waited a few more minutes until she got up from where she sat, kissed her mother's forehead, and left the room.

Before she went home, she went to the front desk in the lobby and approached a sitting nurse, who looked quite in her late 40s or early 50s.

"May I help you?" asked the nurse.

"Do you know where I can find Doctor Wells? I need to see him, it's quite an emergency"

"And, in what reasons you need to see him?"

Raven, getting annoyed with her recent question, calmed herself and answered, "Questions…I have questions." _Didn't I just say emergency?_ She thought annoyingly. The nurse gave her a look as if saying 'okay-what-kind-of-questions'. Raven noticing her look, gritted her teeth and snappily said, "Questions that are of my own business and Doctor Wells."

The nurse, having the feeling that the young woman in front of her was getting annoyed told Raven that she could see Doctor Wells in his office on the 3rd floor since he was free at the moment. She constructed Raven the directions to his office and then Raven left, leaving no' thank you' while the nurse was grumbling about 'how kids these days have no respect'.

* * *

Arriving at his office, Raven knocked on the door and heard a muffled 'come in' and so Raven went in.

Seeing one of his patient's relative, Doctor Wells stood up to greet his visitor.

"Miss Roth, how can I help you? Is there something the matter with your mother?" asked the doctor, curiosity got to him and so he bombarded her with questions.

"My mother's fine. And, I believe you can help me by answering some of the question I have in my mind," Raven said slowly, carefully choosing her words as if not to look so desperate. _But I am desperate, with mother's condition like that._

Doctor Wells gestured Raven to sit down on one of the chairs in front of his desk while he got to his own seat.

"Alright, where do you want to start?"

"The treatment… I know my mother was in the middle of a treatment but you said that her condition has gotten worse. So I would assume that she has to undergo a more serious, careful treatment."

"Yes, you see…" before he completed his sentence, the doctor got up and went to his filing cabinet and took a folder and then sat down again. "You see…your mother has acquired AML, an acute myeloid leukemia. That is a type of cancer in which the bone marrow makes abnormal white type blood cells, red blood cells, or platelets. If this cancer is not treated quickly, it will get worse."

"When your mother came to see me for her check-up, which was in late January and I had not known yet that she has AML since she doesn't come for her regular check-up anymore. And, maybe that could've prevent it from getting worse but not as worse as now, I've noticed that her weight has drastically gone lower and bruises was on her arms, her face was pale, as if she was tired and maybe she was. I was getting curious and curious. So I told her to come again the next day so we can see the result of the blood test. She questioned why and I answered it is because there might be something wrong."

"So she came in the next day again and I gave her the result of the blood test and just like I presume, those physical changes that I've seen on your mother were symptoms for AML and she also has petechiae, which are pinpoint, un raised, round red spots under the skin caused by bleeding. But, before I had given her the result, I asked her is she has been losing appetites or she's easily bleeding or bruising or if she had any fever before she came to me for a check-up. And, she answered yes…hesitant in voicing the answer. When I told her about the disease, she went into a shock…no surprise, of course, when you don't know something is wrong with you, think that you're healthy, and then suddenly you finally found about it."

"So I gave her the treatment, giving her prescriptions of medicines like I told you before. However, as I researched more on her condition, I found out that it has been about 3 or 4 past months she has been dealing with the symptoms before she came to me for the usual check-up. And, that means, we didn't treat her leukemia quick as we thought we would like. So I told her about it and gave her an option on how she would like to treat her condition. She said to just treat her with medicines that are stronger rather than treating it with chemotherapy. I knew why she chose the medicines over the chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is much more expensive. And, right now at her condition as of state, she needs to be treated with chemotherapy or an operation. The operation is in which her bone marrow would be replace. However, there are 2 problems with that 1) it's going to take a while for us to look for the right bone marrow for your mother and 2) it's a 50-50 percent change she might make it or might not. Her cancer cells have now fully matured."

Raven, while the doctor was telling the story, had sat quietly, carefully listening. _Why…why …didn't I notice the changes? I LIVE with her, yet I was so oblivious to it._

"How much?" she whispered lowly. The doctor obviously didn't hear her since he asked, "Pardon?"

With a stronger and louder but yet only for the doctor in front of her to hear, she asked again, "How much? How much will this treatment cost?"

"It really all depends. Your mother right now is at her weakest state. She can no longer be able to move as she can before. She needs someone to be watching her 24/7 and she needs to be injected with a special medicine that will help the cancer cells to stop spreading. Her cancer cells has matured already like I said but it can still spread to the rest of her body and she also need to take medicine 3 times a day. Right now she needs help at anything and everything. She needs help breathing, getting up, even eating."

"You're also saying that she needs to be in bed at all the time, either on a hospital bed or at home?" Raven inquired.

"Yes, but if I know your mother, she wouldn't like to stay in a hospital for such a long time, so I assume that you would want the treatment to be treated at home. And, if you do then I would suggest hiring a nurse to be with her 24/7," the doctor explained.

"And, just how much is for all of this?"

"I could only tell you the estimation but hiring the nurse is about $640; the medicine costs $320; the ventilator, which is the required machines that will be put beside her bed so she can breathe easier, costs $5500; and the whole chemotherapy costs $470,000. Remember all this costs are just estimation; it could actually be more or less. To add it all up, everything costs about $480,000 to round it off. Now the cost of the operation is also around $480,000."

"$480,000…" Raven muttered.

"Miss Roth, I told you that your mother is at her weakest state but she can still be healed and it might take time but nothing's impossible," said the doctor, trying to sooth the girl's dilemma with the financials.

"When can you start the treatment?"

"Well, it's up to your decision. When you finally decide to the chemotherapy or the operation, you would need to sign the medical papers and you can choose how you want to pay the payment. You don't have to pay it all at the same time, you can pay it monthly and the least you can pay it by monthly is $250. But I do strongly suggest you that you make your decision within 2-3 days, 3 the maximum. Your mother needs to be treated immediately. Right now, we're still giving her the regular medicines until you've made up your mind and in which the bill will be sent to you in probably 2 days."

With that Raven nodded her head and got up.

"I'll give you the answer in 3 days but before then I **trust **that you treat give her in the best of your ability," Raven said, emphasizing the word trust so the doctor would know that she meant what she said.

The doctor stood up also and gave her his right hand for to shake; Raven complied and shook his hand.

* * *

Raven went home after her discussion with the doctor. She didn't feel like taking any transportation and so she walked. But she didn't walk straight home instead she went to her job's place to visit her close friend. She was in deep thought when she was walking; a matter of life and death is going on and as cliché as that sounds, it was true. The life of her mother was hanging by a thread if she doesn't do anything and act fast

* * *

In a matter of time, she has arrived and went through the back door sliding down her ID key on the lock to open the door.

She saw people she knew and they saw her, while they yelled out 'Hi' or 'How's it going', Raven just nodded her head to them. Some people that she worked with or had acquainted with are used to her silence greeting or her outcast demeanor while others just labeled her as a cold, boring, heartless, and sometimes a bitch. However, she was used to that. Yes, she knew all the negative things people call her but she could care less. At first, she cared, even if she doesn't want to but the words scarred her heart but then she got used to it. The only voice or opinion she cared was and still are her mother and her godfather and her 3 close friends.

In a few minutes, she saw her friend, Victor Stone behind the bar making some drinks for a few customers while at the same time chatting with an African-American woman, whom Raven does not know yet. _A new customer or a new girlfriend_ Raven pondered and mentally she smirked knowing that Victor can be a ladies' man.

* * *

Victor Stone was her first close friend, making him like a brother to her. She had met him at high school, while she was a sophomore and him, a junior. By that time, Raven had move to public school already. They met when both were assigned as partners in Music class. They were to lead an orchestra and perform at the day of the anniversary of the school. Both were very talented musically and so they were chosen and were being graded on their work for leadership, teamwork, and how they play their own instrument at the day of the concert. Victor plays the trombone while Raven plays the violin, although she could also play the piano beautifully.

Apparently or unfortunately for them, they had only have month to organize the whole concert. They had to choose students for which what part of the music they will play and then make them practice but above all things, they had to chose a piece to play. And, that's where they had their disagreement. Victor is calm, patient man or teenager at that time, he usually doesn't lose his patient that easily. But, then again he is dealing with Raven. For him, one word to describe her was mystery or was it indescribable, maybe both. He thought he would work fine with her even with the jokes and the taunting his friends would make on how horrible she was. Raven had friends or rather she would describe them as her acquaintances, at high school. For her, friends and acquaintances had 2 different meanings. Acquaintances are people whom she met and whom she spends time with around the school and talk once in a while or rather they're doing the talking while she nods. Friends or best friends for her are whom she can trust and really talk to, her godfather and mother fall on that category and soon so will Victor and the other 2 people. They would also be the people she can personally talk to and lean on their shoulder, to feel safe around anything.

Even with 'acquaintances' that she would meet in class, Raven was always by her self, either at lunch or anywhere around the school. No one really saw her outside of school. Usually, when the kids at school had an outcast or a loner at school, they would tease them but they won't dare do that to Raven. In a way, she was well-respected by the popular kids, the punks, the rebels, the Goths, the preps, and also a group what they call 'geeks' or 'nerds' and just any kinds of groups a school has. What made them respected her was the way she compose herself, always had calm aura but at the same time she had that cold attitude, which really sent people away from her. The day those kids really respected her was on Raven's second day at her new school when she shove off the school 'Big Mike'. Unfortunately for him, he commented about the way she always dress dark and associate it with her 'sissy' of a father and 'stupid bitch of a motherfucker' of a mother. Of course no one mess with Raven about her parents. So she push him to a locker, lecturing him about a 'stupid son of a bastard who's pitiful of his brain size and with his one inch dick' and then kneed his groin and slammed his head to the locker and of course, people were watching this short 9th grade girl beating the crap out of 11th grade bulky 'Big Mike'. And, that was the day people learned not to mess with the new girl. Even though with people respecting her, there were still some kids who calls her 'the school's bitch' or the 'ice princess' or what Victor preferred calls her 'Dark Girl'.

But back to their project, Victor and Raven first did not really work well together. Victor would always suggest ideas while she would, like always, nod her head or grunted an 'hmm' and would write on her notebook. Victor thought he was doing all the work while she was just doodling on her notebook or so he thought. And, then his patience finally snapped when both disagree on which piece to use.

"We're doing the piece made by the composer Ellington, which is called Harlem or if not than it'll be 1812 Overture by Tchaikovsky," stated Victor.

"No," Raven countered back.

"Excuse me,"

"I said no…we're not doing Harlem. I chose Mysterious Mountain by Hovhaness," Raven said without even looking at Victor.

"And, what makes you think we're gonna do that! Look for the days we've been working together or should I say **I **have been working while you slack off. Half the time…no… **most** of the times you don't even listen to what I say or suggest. But, right now I had enough. You didn't do anything and then suddenly you get to choose the piece…HELL NO!" exclaimed Victor.

For a while, no one talked. Raven put down the notebook she was writing under her chair before breaking the silence.

"You done now? Cause you're face getting red." The statement made Victor even more aggravated or irritated or whichever one of those but before he could says anything else, Raven beat him to it and stated, "If you didn't want do my choice of piece, you should've just said so. I'm not saying I'm letting you to choose your piece, I'm saying I'll hear your piece if you'll hear mine. After all, this is important to me as it is important to you." With that, she got up and walked toward the door but before she opened the door and leave, she called out, "Meet me at the public library tomorrow morning at 6." She didn't wait for him to answer but just left.

Victor processing every word Raven had said made a scowl and grumbled. She had said every word with such a monotone voice but at the same time with calm. He would've thought that she would lash back at him; he did after all do that to her but she surprised him. When he was just about to get up, he saw the notebook that Raven would always write on every time he was giving suggestions. With curiosity getting the best of him, Victor opened it and what was inside surprised him. Inside was what all the things he suggested they do for the concert in neat handwriting. There were cons and pros for every little thing he suggested and also cons and pros for her ideas. She was actually listening and writing down notes and also had a schedule of what should be done when all the things that they plan have been form together. Victor was kind of surprised because he knew Raven was a diligent, witty, intelligent girl but he didn't know she was, well, like this. Having found out her little secret, and yes, for Victor this was a secret because even though it's just a notebook, it showed how she work with things. Anyway, having found out about the notebook, Victor was more than willing to comply to meet her at the library tomorrow. _But…damn it…why at 6 and in the morning and in a SATURDAY, too!_

* * *

So they met the next day and both listened to each other pieces. Victor found out that Raven liked pieces that are soothing, calming, and well, mysterious. It fitted her actually. Raven, however, found out that Victor like the Jazz and the upbeat kind of pieces. When both were finished they knew that picking the pieces was going to be difficult with their different tastes of music.

"Your piece was nice and I liked it actually, it's just not for my taste," Victor stated, and was actually scared of what she would do next. _Would she pummeled me down or be done with the torture and just kill me quickly?_ Victor thought grotesquely.

"Same as yours," Raven put it simply.

"So what are we gonna do? We can't do a piece that one of us doesn't like."

"We'll just hear other pieces until we get one that we both like," Raven finalize.

"Ok, but before we start, I gotta give you something." With that, Victor took out a notebook from his backpack and gave it to Raven. "I believe this is yours and I know you're gonna kill me for this but I went to see what was inside. You proved me wrong Raven and I'm sorry I misjudge you. It was hypocritical of me, especially since I don't like it when someone misjudges me but yet, I do it to you. And, so I'm sorry…again."

Raven took the book from his hand and just stared at him and then stared at the book. What seems to be minutes going by, seconds had only seemed to gone by and Raven finally said, "Its fine."

So both continued to listen to other pieces and after 2 hours listening from pieces to pieces, both had found a piece or actually 2 pieces that they liked, it was the piece Symphony No.4 by Brahms and Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Britten.

"Okay, so we both found something we liked but now we have to choose which one," Victor stating the fact.

"I'm gonna get some tea from the café downstairs," Raven suddenly said.

"Um…uh…" stuttered the teenage boy.

"You coming?"

"Uh…ya…hold up!"

Both spend 15 minutes at the café and were actually conversing or rather Victor is conversing while Raven was silence. But, then suddenly Raven asked, "When has someone misjudged you?"

Victor looked at he quizzically until he realized that Raven was asking about what he said when he was apologizing.

"Well, sometimes the others, mostly the lower classmen, are afraid of me. Just because I'm quite big and plays football, it doesn't me that I'm gonna pummeled them down if they get in my way. I know some of the foot ball players do that but I don't. I just want to be treated the same."

Raven nodded her head with his explanation and without any noise, she got up, threw away the cup that was once full with tea, and left to go back upstairs to the library with Victor following her.

* * *

They spend more hours trying pick the right piece and compromising which piece would the other students be capable of playing but at the same hard enough for them to learn something new and give their best. So they chose Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra by Britten. The piece has the upbeat that Victor like but also had the calming and intensity that Raven prefers.

So with the decision made, they start organizing it. To Victor's relief, the planning and forming the whole orchestra with Raven went smoothly. And, because both leaders had to discuss their project every single day, Victor would be seen hanging out with Raven all the time and vice versa. While doing the project, Victor gets to see Raven in different kind of perspectives. He would see her as a gentle, perfectionist kind-of kid. She would give nothing but the best. And, they were times that he actually got Raven to talk more than needed. Victor found out that she like to let a sarcastic remark once in a while and values her personal space. What surprised him the most was that Raven let a smile slip from her lips, it was actually a smirk but nonetheless it was a smile and it was shown just for him to see. He felt special actually to be the only one in the whole school who had seen her smile or …smirk.

* * *

Finally, it was the day of the concert and both teens were ready to perform. Raven playing the violin while Victor played the trombone. And, then in just a blink the one hour concert was over, both teens were praised for their job well done and everything went back to normal. Victor hanging out with his buddies and Raven hanging out by her self, well, at least that's what Raven expected. But as the next day came, Victor Stone stood at the front of the school main entrance waiting for Raven.

"So Raven…I see your mom loved our concert," Victor said with a grin on his face.

Following by a nod, she spoke," She did and so did your parents." With that, they entered the school and that was their morning routine ever since, they'll wait for each other, greet, and then hang out for the rest of the day.

Going back to when they were still working on their concert, Victor had once asked Raven why was the concert important to her.

"How did you know it was important to me?"

"You said that when we had our first argument about the piece and you said that this was important to you as it was to me."

"It's only for me to know."

Victor, obviously upset and disappointed with her answer, tried one more time to get her to answer. "You know, this concert is important to me 'cause I wanna show my mom that her hard work for teaching me music wasn't a waste. So I wanted to show her my appreciation."

With a few minutes of silence, Raven finally spoke, "For my mother, she loved to play the violin."

Victor nodded his head in understanding, grinned, and then said, "Thanks Raven."

"Welcome."

Victor had thanked Raven because she let him know something about her even if it was indirectly, but still it was something.

* * *

Victor became her friend eventually but for him to change from being an 'acquaintance' to a 'friend' took a year. Yes, they hang out with each other but Raven never told him any secrets until she was a junior and him, a senior. Now, they are still friends and are even in the same job. Raven had told Victor about her life but never went personally, maybe someday she would tell and it may take years but for Victor, it was worth the waiting…anything for his 'little sister'.

* * *

Back to present, where Victor was standing and still chatting to the woman, Raven walked up to him and gave a small smile.

"Rae! What's up Dark Girl?" Victor yelled out, greeting his best friend with the trademark name he had given to her.

Raven nodded his way, still with the small smile.

"Raven I want you to meet a new friend of mine Karen Beecher. Karen, this is my best girl, Raven." Victor, knowing his best friend, knows that Raven did not like it when someone was introducing her to another person and he/she introduced her with her last name. She said that giving her last name to people that she has just met would mean giving something of her that's personal. So Victor complies with her wishes.

"Well, nice to meet you, Raven. Victor was just telling me about you," Karen said holding out her right hand but soon changed her hand when Raven had hold out her left hand.

"Likewise," Rave replied back shortly and eyed her friend. "Vic, I'm gonna go outside."

"Alright, meet ya there when I'm finished." Knowingly to Victor, that when she said that meant she wants to talk, specifically to talk to a close friend. He also knows that outside meant the roof.

Raven nodded her head and gave a small smile to Karen and then headed out. Usually, before Victor became close friend with Raven, when she met someone new, she would never give a smile and Victor noticed that. So one day, he talked to her about it and he wanted her to try to make an effort to let a small smile or even lift the corner of her lips when she just met somebody. He said that it'll be a change for her to at least show a little emotion from everything that has happened to her in her life. Raven had told him that her father had died when she was young but never told him how he died. Victor explained that when she smiles at every new person she meets up with, it'll be a thankful gesture that she could meet someone new in exchange for the loss of her father. And, since her father was very important to her, those every person she gave smile to will balance the equality of importance of her father. So, with that being explained and said, Raven complied.

* * *

Opening the door to the roof, Raven went outside and sat in a lotus position. She had always finds solace and peace when she's alone, especially when she's in a place somewhere high where she can reach to the sky, moon, and the stars, like the roof for instance.

After having to wait half an hour, Raven finally heard a door being opened and then followed by a pair of footsteps that belong to her friend.

"Sorry that took awhile Rae…I had to get the girl's phone number," Victor said, followed by a pant after 2 or 3 words.

"Same old…same old, Vic and look I didn't even know it took you **awhile**, I though I was only waiting for **almost** an hour," mocked Raven with a hint of sarcasm and emphasizing some words

"Alright…alright…but she was **really** a cute, funny, sweet woman, Rae…I had to," he whined.

"Yeah, she was actually."

"Ye-," but before he could continue what he wanted to say, Victor stopped and then said,"**Wait** a minute! Since when have you ever agree to things I say about a girl I just met?" he accused.

"But she is, what do ya want me to say…tell a lie…I only tell lies if it involves you making pancakes-."

"HEY! I make good pancakes!" Victor interrupted.

"-since you would always overreact every time I saw that your pancakes are horrible," she continued

"I do NOT!" Victor exclaimed while Raven raised an eyebrow at him.

"Ugh…moving on. So you really thing she's sweet?"

"Yeah."

Victor just realizing that his friend was in down low mood, asked questions. "Hey, you okay Rae?" and then remembering that the hospital had called her cell phone, he asked again, "Why was the hospital calling you? Has anything happened to your mother?"

Raven, who had her head low the entire time, looked up to the sky and muttered, "She's sick, Victor." And, then looked at her friend beside her and leaned her head on his shoulder. Victor, who heard her mutterings, put his chin on top of her head and began to caress her back and not say anything, knowing that his best friend just needed a friend to lean on.

* * *

A/N: So there's the prologue. It's long but it needed to be done. Try to keep in mind the way Raven shakes her hand, it's gonna be mentioned in the future chapters.

Just to those who don't know who Karen Beecher is, that's the real name for Bumblebee.

Now the information on leukemia, I try my best to research for it. All the information I have gotten came from this website:

http/www (dot) nci.nih (dot) gov/cancertopics/pdq/ treatment/adultAML/patient.

I do apologize if the information I wrote was wrong, like I said I try my best to research for it. However, I do know that more or less that's how it is. And, the costs about the chemotherapy are just of my own estimation. I tried to research about the costs but none of the website I looked into had the answer.

So hope you enjoy and R and R!

Iris


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